Dear Santa
by pomatterpie
Summary: Eight-year-old Rachel Berry wants only one thing for Christmas this year: a mommy. With less than a week left until the holiday, can Santa make her Christmas wish come true? AU. Now a series of connected one-shots.
1. Christmas

**A/N: In the Christmas spirit and just wanted to try my hand at some holiday fluff (and ok angst) with our favorite mother/daughter pair, so here's a one-shot for you guys.**

 **Also I know canon Rachel is proudly Jewish and I'm not trying to diminish that or disregard that at all. In this AU, she and her parents celebrate both! Keep in mind this is AU and fiction. Thanks! Hope you all enjoy this!**

* * *

 _Dear Santa,_

 _This year I would like to ask you for only one thing. I don't want any toys. All I want for Christmas is a mommy. I have a dad and a daddy and they love me and take good care of me. They also like to sing and dance with me, which is my favorite thing to do. I love them so much but I would also like a mommy. Sometimes it feels like I have a missing piece in my heart and I was thinking that maybe having a mommy could help fill that. I was hoping that you could send me a mommy who is really nice, funny, and pretty. If it's not too much, I would like someone who will help me braid my hair, shop with me, sing me to sleep, and do other things mommies do. If you can't make this happen, then I understand, but I really hope that you do. I believe in you Santa. Please say hi to the elves and give the reindeers some carrots for me._

 _Love,_

 _Rachel Barbra Berry_

 _P.S. Ms. Pillsbury helped me write my letter. I hope that isn't cheating._

"Has she—"

"No, she hasn't talked to me about this," LeRoy answered, completing his husband's thoughts. They've been together for more than a dozen years now, married for ten, parents for eight. He knew Hiram better than he knew himself. And likewise.

"But—"

"I know. I was shocked too, my love."

"How—"

"Her teacher, Ms. Pillsbury, talked to me when I picked her up earlier. They did a class activity today and every kid had to write a letter to Santa. She said that she usually collects them and mails them to the parents, but she gave me Rachel's personally because she was _concerned._ "

"What do we—"

"Do? I'm not entirely sure. I mean, to be honest, I haven't really thought about—"

" _Shelby_ —"

"—in forever," LeRoy finished his sentence, his lips quirking into an amused smile. Even after all these years, the way they seemed to fit together, in heart and in mind, just _right,_ never failed to amaze him.

"You know... she looks just like her," Hiram said, his voice soft, mixed with another emotion that LeRoy can't quite pinpoint yet.

Taking his thick-rimmed glasses off, he set them and the letter down on the bedside table then turned to face his partner.

"I know," LeRoy responded in a gentle timbre when he made eye contact with Hiram. "It's more noticeable as she gets older. She's even _like_ her too. I mean, we're both tone deaf, so you know Rachel's talent is from her."

"That's true," Hiram laughed softly, grazing a hand across his scraggly beard as his mind wandered. "We liked Shelby… didn't we?"

"We _loved_ her," LeRoy corrected, taking his husband's other free hand in his own, savoring in the familiar comfort.

As a man living in Lima, Ohio, married to another man, finding a way to have a family was _difficult_. They found that adoption agencies were less than willing to send a child home with gay parents. They tried for months, years even. Rejection wearing them down, they decided to take fate into their own hands. They placed an ad for a surrogate and one week later met Shelby Corcoran: a newly-minted college graduate with a one-track mind to New York and Broadway. And she was perfect.

Shelby was beautiful, intelligent, wildly talented, and more importantly, willing to walk away. They paid her a handsome amount of money to chase her dreams and in return she gave them their baby girl.

Eight-year-old Rachel Barbra Berry and her dramatic, strong-willed, and kind hearted personality is everything that LeRoy and Hiram could've ever dreamed of. She's their entire world.

"We did," Hiram shook his head in agreement. "But the contract?"

"Can be changed? I think we were all just scared and felt like we needed to protect ourselves, protect Rachel," LeRoy contemplated, squeezing Hiram's hand comfortingly. "But that was eight years ago and Shelby's kept her promise."

"You do remember how hard it was for her at the end, right?" Hiram's voice trailed off, currently being transported to the back-then.

The expectant fathers noticed that the further along that Shelby got into the pregnancy, the more she began to truly understand what she was giving up. They watched her fall deeply in love with the little girl growing inside of her. The young woman spent hours serenading the baby in her stomach and talked to her constantly about everything from Barbra to New York.

One day, when Hiram and LeRoy overheard Shelby call herself _mom_ , they decided to bring up the contract. They were advised to encourage the surrogate mother to sign a contract stipulating that she would have no contact with the child until it reached legal age. It was to deter Shelby from changing her mind and deciding to keep the baby. It was also to protect them and the family they were trying to build. To their relief, Shelby signed it no questions asked. And eight years later, she's kept her word and her distance. The two men haven't seen or heard from the woman since the day that Rachel was born.

"I do," LeRoy recalled wistfully. "But Shelby was a baby then too. She wasn't ready to be a mom as much as she might have wanted Rachel."

"Were we wrong to keep them apart?" Hiram asked, fear and uncertainty laced in his voice. "I mean you read the letter, Rachel feels like something is missing? Are we enough?"

"Babe, ouch, you're gripping too hard," LeRoy hissed as he pried his hand away then stretched the tender limbs.

"Sorry," Hiram apologized, taking back his husband's hand and giving it a chaste kiss. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm just worried. I just want what's best for our baby."

LeRoy liquified at the affection and the words spoken.

"Of course and I do too," he agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't know. As much as it scares me, Rach is growing up, and sooner rather than later, she's going to be a teenager, and there are certain things that perhaps a mother can teach her. And I-I'm not afraid anymore to realize that. If this what Rachel really wants or maybe even needs, I think that there's room for all three of us in her life."

Hiram nodded his head scarcely and exhaled a breath as a long sigh. He glanced over at the letter and picked it up again, reading through certain lines again for the second time.

"Why couldn't Rach have asked for a doll like any other eight-year-old?" Hiram groaned deeply. "Or I'll even settle for a puppy at this point; you know, something easier."

"Have you _met_ our daughter?" LeRoy laughed in amusement. "Since when have things ever been _easy_ with our little princess?"

"Right," Hiram chuckled as he threw the covers off his side and got up off the bed.

"Where are you going?" LeRoy questioned, brows knitting as he watched his husband put his glasses back on then slip his robe around his body.

"To get our baby girl what she wants for Christmas," Hiram decided, extending his hand out to his partner. "And in order to do that, we have to find Shelby. We have less than a week. Are you with me?"

Smiling, LeRoy accepted his husband's hand and also rose to his feet.

"Always," he promised with a determined nod. "Let's get to work, _Santa_."

* * *

The day before Winter Break was always Rachel's favorite day of the school year. Not only did they get to have their class holiday party, which meant lots of snacks and candy; it was also early dismissal for their two-week-long break. It was exciting and always lots of fun, but the best part of it all for the third grader was the Winter Holiday Assembly.

As tradition, the Lima Elementary School symphonic band treated their peers with Christmas music and their principal read "The Night Before Christmas" while some of the popular teachers acted out the beloved story.

Rachel loved it all, but what she waited for patiently all year long was the chance to watch _them_ : The Carmel High School Show Choir. Every year, Vocal Adrenaline would come and perform for the grade school kids. And the first time Rachel saw them, she almost couldn't believe her eyes.

She was in complete awe at the costumes, the singing, the dancing, the talent, the _everything_ that is the glamor of high school show choir. Her then six-year-old mind was blown away and she's been obsessed ever since. For the Broadway dreamer, it was the closest thing she had to showbiz in Central Ohio.

And this year, the show choir team did not disappoint. In fact, it was the best that Rachel's ever seen them. To her wonder, they absolutely shattered all of her expectations.

"That was amazing!" Rachel exclaimed from her position on the bleachers. She clapped her hands excitedly as she watched the remaining Vocal Adrenaline members hustle off the makeshift stage in the gymnasium. As the last of the glitter and sequins disappeared, she finally peeled her eyes away and turned to face her best friend Kurt Hummel.

Rachel knows that she's not the most popular kid in her class; she's kind of loud and a little too honest, and she has different interests than most of her other peers. She loves singing and acting, musicals and Broadway, probably more than an eight-year-old should, but that didn't matter to her because she got to share all of that with her best friend Kurt. They met the first day of kindergarten when she chose Belle's costume and he picked the Beast costume from the dress-up chest at the same time, and they've been inseparable ever since.

"They were so good!" Kurt nodded delightedly in agreement. "Weren't they sooo much better than last year? I can't believe they did _Frozen_!"

"I _know_ , can you even believe that girl who sang _Let It Go_?" Rachel squealed. She was on a high. In her mind, nothing compared to the magic of a live musical performance. "And did you see all the costumes, Kurt! It was all so, so, so fantastic."

"I can't wait until we can join show choir, I bet we'll be just as good."

"Oh definitely," Rachel shook her head with total conviction. "We'll be even better. The duet of _Love is an Open Door_ was so awesome! Maybe we can practice that together over break?"

"We _have_ to! I'll ask my mommy if you can come over. What are you and your daddies doing over the break?" Kurt asked as he got up to follow the rest of their classmates down the risers to go back to class.

"Hmm, I'm not sure yet. I think we're seeing the _Nutcracker_ and then seeing my Nanna and Gramps in Columbus and then going ice skating," Rachel rattled off in one big breath. "But I'll definitely ask my dad and daddy if we can hang out."

"Hurry up, freaks," Noah Puckerman urged as he shoved his way through the pair, causing Rachel to miss the last step of the bleachers and trip over herself.

"Rachel!" Kurt gasped and grabbed her arm quickly before she fell on her face. Helping her stand on solid ground, he looked over his best friend with concern. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Rachel responded breathlessly, shaking herself off, then allowing fear to turn into anger a second later as she turned around and glared at the perpetrator. "Noah! You could've seriously hurt me!"

"It's _Puck_ ," Noah corrected. "And if you losers weren't too busy talking about lame musicals, then you wouldn't be holding up the line."

"Get a life, _Noah_ ," Rachel countered back, small hands making its way to her hips and an irate expression taking over her entire face. "And stop calling us freaks, we did nothing wrong."

"You're right. Kurt's just a loser, but you're the one who's a freak," Noah spat back. "You're the one with two dads and no mom because she probably didn't want you. No wonder you're so weird."

Rachel instantly recoiled and took half a step back as if she'd just been struck. Her heart pounding, she felt heat flush down her body from her head to her toes.

"Hey!" Kurt roared with a strong voice that defied his small size. "That's not cool, Noah. Rachie is _not_ a freak."

Kurt took a defensive step forward and tried to get in between the two before Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"It's okay, Kurtie," Rachel whispered and forced herself to give him a slight smile. Pushing down her anger like her dads have always taught her when faced with these situations, Rachel stood up straighter, squared her little shoulders, and narrowed her eyes at the boy. "I don't know why you're so angry, Noah, but there's nothing wrong with having two daddies. They're the best dads in the world, and I'm proud of them no matter what you say!"

Not interested in an answer, Rachel turned sharply on her heel and stormed away, weaving her way through the crowded gymnasium. Ignoring the calls after her, she pushed the doors open and walked down the hallway in a half-sprint. She knows that she shouldn't let what stupid Noah Puckerman thinks get to her, but she couldn't help but feel hurt anyway. She doesn't understand why it's even a big deal that she has two dads anyway. And she doesn't really care. It was the mom comment that got to her. It always did.

Not paying attention to her surroundings, Rachel rounded the corner in haste and immediately bumped into a tall back with such force that knocked her to the ground.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," the woman turned around then instantly bent down to help her up. "Are you alright?"

"It's okay, sorry, I-I think I ran into you," Rachel accepted the woman's hand to help herself up then brushed down her skirt once she gained her footing. She sniffled loudly then wiped away tears she didn't even realize she started to cry.

While examining the girl, Shelby Corcoran doesn't know why her heart skipped a beat. The short and petite brunette had on a red headband around her long brown locks. She also wore a white sweater with a reindeer sewed on the center paired with a green corduroy skirt and completed the outfit with knee-high socks and mary jane shoes. She looked like she stepped right out of a Christmas catalogue. She was insanely adorable, but what took Shelby's breath away were the girl's expressive deep brown eyes. Something about them seemed so familiar.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" She asked worriedly, completely unsure why her heart was sagging at the distress marked all over the little girl's face.

"No ma'am," Rachel shook her head pitifully, but subconsciously couldn't help but pout. "I'm okay. I'm not hurt."

Shelby melted at the the girl's long face and suddenly felt a strange surge of protectiveness overcome her. She knows she can probably walk away now and it wouldn't be weird at all, but something inside of her was screaming at her to stay. Glancing at her watch, she realized she had a few more minutes before she had to meet her kids at the bus. She looked around the hallway and noticed that they were all alone. How was that even possible?

Sighing because she doesn't know what's possessing her to do this, she knelt down so she could be at eye-level with the girl and gave her a small smile once she met her gaze.

"Good, I'm glad you're not hurt, but you are still crying, so will you please tell me what's the matter?" She prodded gently before she could change her mind. This was so unlike her.

She watched the girl shift nervously on her feet while a range of emotions flit across her face.

Unsure of what to do, Rachel remained silent. She allowed herself to study the woman in front of her for the first time and decided that she was probably the prettiest lady she's ever seen. She liked how if she really looked really closely, they sorta kinda looked alike.

"What's your name?" Shelby prompted, recognizing that she probably needed to take the lead here. "I'm Shelby. Shelby Corcoran. I'm Vocal Adrenaline's head coach."

Rachel's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock.

"You are?" The girl inquired incredulously. "That's _so_ cool! I love Vocal Adrenaline! You guys were so good. I first saw you when I was in first grade and you were good then, but you seem sooo much better this year. All the _Frozen_ was ah-mazing. Me and my bestest friend Kurt love you guys. We both sing and dance and we want to be in show choir when we're older too!"

Shelby felt an intense form of whiplash from the complete 180 on emotions from the small child. All traces of sadness seemingly vanished, Shelby felt herself release a breath she didn't even know she was holding and relaxed. Smiling at the girl's contagious enthusiasm, she chuckled slightly in amusement.

"Oh sorry Coach Coroc-Corc—"

"Corcoran," Shelby grinned, helping the girl with the pronunciation.

"Coach Corcoran," Rachel flushed red. "I just love music and theater so much. I think show choir is super awesome and I can't wait to do it when I'm in high school. Vocal Adrenaline is the best. I don't think I'll be going to Carmel, but I so wish I was!"

Rachel gave her a toothy grin once she finished rambling and Shelby was certain right then and there that this was one of the most adorable kids she's ever met.

"I'm so glad to hear that you like Vocal Adrenaline," Shelby said honestly once she finally got a word in. "I actually just took over as the head coach. I recently moved back here from New York City."

"You did?" Rachel gaped. "I _love_ New York too! I want to be on Broadway when I grow up! Why would you come back?! When I go to New York, I'm staying forever and ever and ever."

Shelby doesn't know why she was offering this random little girl so much personal information, but she decided it was worth it seeing the pure look of disbelief in her reaction. She forgot how candid children can be.

"I do love New York too, but I decided it was time for a change," she answered truthfully. "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name?"

"Oh sorry, I'm Rachel. Rachel Barbra Berry."

 _Rachel._ Shelby's breath caught in her throat and she stood up to her full height then stepped back so she could look at the girl properly. Tears automatically formed in her green eyes as she looked into the brown ones that belonged to the baby that she held in her arms so long ago. Her heart pounding, a lump formed in her throat and Shelby mustered every bit of strength inside of her to not burst into sobs as recognition finally sunk in at the sight of her little girl.

"Coach Corcoran?" Rachel frowned at the reaction.

Fighting down the shock, Shelby drew in a deep, shaky breath, as if she had forgotten how to breathe for a minute. She gathered her thoughts as quickly as she could then knelt back down to face the young girl.

"R-Rachel? How old are you?" She asked cautiously, clearing her throat.

"I just turned eight three days ago," Rachel responded, furrowing her brows together at the random question. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. No, I'm sorry," Shelby began damage control. She was close to losing it but she wouldn't fall apart now, not in front of meeting _her_ for the first time. "So you are—you're eight?"

"Yes," Rachel replied in a 'duh I just told you' kind of tone. She was so confused at how this lady was acting all of a sudden.

"And you—you like to sing?" Shelby asked. Her mind was racing at a million miles per second and that was the first thing she could think to ask. She wanted to know everything about her baby, desperately.

"I do!" Rachel brushed off all the weirdness and answered enthusiastically. "I _love_ to sing. My daddies think I can be a star and I sing anything, but I love Broadway the best and I love Barbra Streisand the most. Do you know her?"

"Yes, I know _of_ her," Shelby laughed. Her little girl loves Broadway and Barbra. Just like her.

"Coach Corcoran, you're crying," Rachel stared at her, reaching over with her tiny thumb and gently wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry."

"What? Oh Rachel, you have _nothing_ to be sorry for," Shelby leaned over and before she could think about it, pulled her baby in for a hug. Surprised at how Rachel immediately melted into her embrace, she breathed in slowly then held her tight. Everything faded away as she let the seconds slide away and the rightness of it all wash over them.

After a few more moments, Shelby grudgingly let go and instantly blushed beet red.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel," she apologized, realizing how odd it must be for a strange woman to be giving her a hug.

"It's okay," Rachel responded casually, not thinking too much of it. It was a nice hug. It was comforting. It was sort of like her daddies' hugs but different, a little warmer somehow. "Do you feel better? Hugs always make me feel good."

"I do. Thank you, Rachel," she chuckled softly, amused by the child's simple logic. "I—"

"Rachel! There you are!" Emma Pillsbury interrupted as she turned the corner and found her missing student. "I was so worried. What did I say about storming off like that, young lady?"

Shelby's heart sank noticing the girl's entire demeanor shift back to the state she found her in earlier.

"I'm sorry Ms. Pillsbury," Rachel apologized earnestly. "It's just that Noah's been—"

"Noah's picking on you again?" Emma lowered her voice and softened her entire stance. "I'm sorry Rachel, and we will talk more about this later, but you also know better than to just run away from the class."

Noah? Shelby felt her protective instincts kick in. Who was Noah and why was he picking on her kid?

"I know," Rachel whispered and dropped her head. "I am sorry. I was going to go right back but—"

"Oh, hello!" Emma snapped her attention to the other woman. "I didn't see you there, who are you? I'm Emma Pillsbury, I teach third grade."

"I'm Shelby Corcoran," she offered her hand but still kept her eyes on Rachel. "I'm the show choir coach at Carmel."

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," Emma accepted the handshake. "Your team put on a truly wonderful performance earlier."

"Thank you," Shelby said appreciatively, turning to meet her gaze. She liked this woman, she seemed genuinely kind. She snuck another peek at Rachel who seemed to grow more nervous by the second and decided to help the kid out. "I'm afraid it's my fault that my—uh— _Rachel's_ been gone so long. We sort of bumped into each other and then got to talking. Rachel was just telling me she likes to sing."

"Oh, I see," Emma nodded her head in understanding. "Yes, our Rachel is a fantastic singer. She's a real star on our choir."

Shelby doesn't know who was beaming more at the praise: her or her kid, but on the inside she was turning into a huge pile of mush at the fact that her baby girl inherited at least one thing from her.

"That's lovely," Shelby grinned widely and turned back to the young singer. "I hope you keep up the good job and work hard, Rachel. Maybe one day I'll see you at a show choir competition."

"Oh you will Coach Corcoran, I promise, I really will!" Rachel pledged, severe enough to sound like an unbreakable vow.

"Well Rach, tell Ms. Corcoran thank you for taking the time to talk to you," Emma cut into the conversation. "We should get back to class and get our party started, huh kiddo?"

"Yeah," Rachel deflated a bit. She doesn't know why, but she doesn't want to say goodbye yet to this woman.

She looked at Shelby first then back to Emma and then unexpectedly slammed herself into Shelby and wrapped her arms around her waist. Shelby didn't waste a second returning the hug and squeezed the girl gently, taking advantage of the opportunity to try to pour all of her love into her.

After a few seconds, Shelby swallowed thickly finally grasping the significance of seeing Rachel. Until this moment, her daughter had just been a figment of her imagination, the subject of her dreams, the face that she searched for in crowds. But holding her little girl right now, Shelby realized that Rachel was better than what she ever came up with in her head, and her heart was breaking into a million pieces knowing that she had to let go. After all, she wasn't really hers.

"Thank you, Coach Corcoran," Rachel mumbled against her shirt then pulled away reluctantly.

"You're very welcome, Rachel," Shelby said softly, already missing the physical contact between them. "It was really nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Rachel beamed. She couldn't believe that the coach of _the_ Vocal Adrenaline seems to like her. She couldn't wait to tell Kurt.

Shelby couldn't help but reach out again and very carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter's delicate ear.

"I—I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Rachel," Shelby said, her hand lingering for a moment as she cupped her face tenderly, trying to ingrain this moment and her daughter's beautiful face into her memory.

"You too!" Rachel leaned into the affection. "I hope Santa brings you what you want this year."

"Come along, Rachel," Emma chuckled, shooting Shelby a knowing look and smile. "Let's get you back to Mr. Hummel, who's just a little more than worried about you."

Rachel took Emma's hand and began to follow her lead. Before the turned the corner, she looked back and gave Shelby her best megawatt smile and small wave.

Shelby felt her knees buckle slightly and she forced herself to wave back. Yeah. So much better than she could've ever imagined.

* * *

Rachel spent the rest of the school day thinking about Shelby Corcoran. She couldn't get her out of head and talked Kurt's ear off about her. There was something about her that just made her feel comfortable. It was something in the way that she looked at her, talked to her, and even hugged her that made her feel really nice inside. She thought about her so much that she decided if she could rewrite her letter to Santa, she'd ask for a mommy exactly like Shelby Corcoran.

Rachel was deep in thought while she waited for her daddy LeRoy to pick her up from school. She was leaned all the way back against the bench by the front office, kicking the air absentmindedly since her feet couldn't reach the floor. She was one of the last ones to get picked up and she really couldn't wait to get back home and start her winter break. Her first order of business was making her daddies watch the Blu-Ray DVD of _The Polar Express_ that Kurt just gifted her with.

Gasping dramatically because she just realized she forgot it in her cubby, she jumped up off her seat and scurried down the hallway back to their classrom.

She was almost there when she stopped dead in her tracks suddenly hearing a loud, startling clang against metal and a woman's voice raised in anger down the hallway. Uncertain of what to do, she stayed rooted in her spot hesitant to make another move in fear of drawing any attention to herself.

"Noah! Don't kick that!" The woman scolded, holding the boy back from taking another powerful kick against the defenseless locker. "You're going to hurt yourself! What is going on with you, Noah?"

"I told you! It's _Puck!"_ Noah yelled back at his mom, clenching his jaw and balling his fists up.

Denise Puckerman winced at the amount of venom in her son's voice. She's trying. She's trying so hard to keep it together, but she doesn't even recognize the little boy standing in front of her anymore. He's been so distant and angry ever since—ever since _he_ left.

Sighing, she grabbed Noah's shoulders firmly and crouched down following his gaze until they made eye contact.

"Noah, look at me," she demanded then continued once he complied. "You are _not_ Puck, you are Noah. And all of this, the disrespecting your teachers, the bullying, and the stealing, _Noah_ , ends now. This is not like you at all. I know I've taught you better. I mean what were you _thinking_ trying to steal someone else's toys? You know better than that!"

"I took it for Becca!" Noah confessed, forcibly pulling his shoulders away from his mother's grip. "I just—I wanted to get her something cause we didn't—you couldn't get us toys this year for Hanukkah and I just wanted to get her something she can play with. You said I gotta take care of her now, right?"

"Oh Noah," Denise shook her head in shock, feeling a mixture of disappointment at the action and pride at the intention. "I never said you _have_ to take care of your little sister. I just said you had to _help_ , and that absolutely does not mean stealing to get her presents, little man. Listen. I know things have been difficult since your dad left, and I know that I've been working a ton too, but the acting out, the getting in trouble isn't helping. Do you hear me, Noah? It stops now."

Refusing to answer, he kept his eyes down and scuffed the tiled floor with his Captain America sneakers. Noah himself was very confused with his own behavior. He was so angry at his dad for leaving them without warning. It did make him feel bad when he hurt his mom's feelings, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He knew he wasn't helping his mom every single time he acted out, but he couldn't seem to control the way his anger and resentment bubbled over into his actions.

He looked up warily but his gaze fell immediately fell from his mother's eyes, unable to take the disappointment in them. He turned his head to right instead and unexpectedly caught Rachel standing frozen in place a few feet away.

"Rachel Barbra! There you are!" LeRoy called after his daughter, startling everyone. All three jerked their attention to the sight of the tall and handsome curly-haired man walking down the hallway with a purposeful stride.

In the same moment, Emma opened the door out of her classroom, a little bewildered by the scene she just walked into.

"Rachel, honey, why weren't you up at the front waiting for me?" LeRoy questioned his daughter once he closed the distance between them.

"Sorry daddy, I was just—" she ignored all of the adults staring at her and set her eyes on Noah instead, who for once didn't have a smug expression on his face, but instead looked somewhat embarrassed, if Rachel had to guess.

"I forgot something in my cubby and I wanted to go back and get it," Rachel explained in a half-whisper, grabbing her daddy's hand for comfort. She didn't mean to snoop but she was starting to feel bad about the conversation she just overheard. It didn't settle right in her stomach.

"Oh, why didn't you say so, princess?" LeRoy said, easily allowing the little hand to slip into his. "Come on, let's go and get it."

He walked them towards the classroom and smiled politely at the company at the end of the hall as they approached.

"Hi, I'm LeRoy Berry," he extended his free hand out to the woman he didn't recognize. "I'm one of Rachel's dads."

"Oh, hello," she accepted. "I'm Denise Puckerman. I'm Noah's mom."

"Nice to meet you,Denise, and those are some pretty cool shoes, Noah," he said kindly to the young boy who looked squirmy under his gaze. "Ms. Pillsbury, Rach said she left something in her cubby. Is it alright if she can run in and grab it?"

"Of course," Emma nodded in affirmation. "Go ahead Rachel, it should be unlocked."

Rachel hesitated for a moment before following orders. She stole another glance at Noah before she entered the classroom. Her tummy was tumbling thinking about what she just learned. She had no idea that Noah's dad left. Her own two daddies are so great, so she can't even imagine a world where either one of them would ever willingly walk out on her.

She darted over to her cubby and grabbed the object of her search. She really, really wanted to go home now. However as soon as she approached the door, it flung open, and in walked Noah.

Stopping in her tracks, the two third graders stared at one another silently for a couple seconds.

"Hey—"

"I won't say anything to anyone," the girl blurted out. "I promise."

"Oh—uh, thanks," Noah said sheepishly, starting to regret all the admittedly mean things he's said to her recently.

"Sure," Rachel shrugged it off. She's not going to be best friends with Noah Puckerman anytime soon, but at least now she sorta understands him. "I have to get back to my daddy, but have a good break.. Puck."

"It's Noah," he mumbled, surprising himself and Rachel. He wanted to say more, to apologize maybe. Thinking of his mom outside, he swallowed hard. "Also I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't—uh—your dad seems cool."

"They both are," Rachel responded, holding her head high. The apology doesn't really take away the hurt she's felt over this, but it was a start for the little girl. "I don't have a mommy, but yours seems pretty cool too."

"She is," Noah confirmed. Scratching the back of his head, he gave her a half-smirk. "Sorry again."

"See ya later, Noah," she corrected, returning his smile before moving around him.

As Rachel walked away, the most brilliant idea popped into her head. She just needed her daddies' help. Smiling as she turned the doorknob, she walked back out with a fierce determination. _Now_ she was ready to start her winter break.

* * *

It's been forty-eight hours since Shelby's chance encounter with Rachel and she's processed a million and one emotions since then, confusion rising to the top. Once the shock of it all wore off, reality soon followed. The first thought that came to mind after her little girl walked away was the contract. Had she broken it?

Technically, Rachel had bumped into her. She didn't seek her out. There were four elementary schools in Lima, what were the odds that she would take her team to perform to the one her daughter attended? What were the chances that she'd randomly run into her out of all the kids that were there that day? Was it all just a coincidence? Was it fate?

Either way, she decided that she wouldn't allow herself to entertain those thoughts any more than she already has. She couldn't. She's spent the last eight years forcing herself not to indulge in those thoughts. She signed an agreement. She made a promise. She walked away.

Even if she didn't want to. Even when it was the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

But regardless of all her heartbreak over the situation, Shelby can't allow herself to say that she regrets it. Not really. Especially not after seeing Rachel for the first time. Her little girl had grown up to be so smart, kind and confident. She genuinely seemed happy and carefree, and that's all that Shelby's ever wanted for her. It's also what she wanted for the Berry men, whom she truly liked. She really did want to help them build their family.

She also had the assurance that she would be able to forge a relationship with her daughter when she was older to hold on to. She figured that she could explain everything to Rachel when it was time for them to meet and they would go from there.

That was the plan. And the plan absolutely did not include unexpectedly running into the eight-year-old.

But she needed to snap out of it. There was nothing she can do, even if Rachel had mentioned their meeting to the Berry men. She didn't even know how to find them or if they even wanted anything to do with her. She hasn't seen or heard from them since December 18, eight years and five days ago now. Obsessing over it now wasn't going to do anything for her. She simply had to keep going, just as she has been this entire time.

Pulling into her driveway, Shelby let out a long, drawn out sigh as she cut the engine and looked up at her new house. She moved back to Lima after Thanksgiving and she feels like all she's done since then is unpack.

She had gone to New York as planned and although she managed to land a few off-Broadway roles, she hadn't made it like she wanted to. She went to countless of auditions, but she never got the big role. Several casting directors told her that she was missing something, and she knew what it was. She was missing her daughter. Somewhere along the way, she lost her focus and her drive. She didn't want Broadway anymore, she wanted her baby.

Eventually, she decided to shift gears and went back to school to be a teacher, finding that while it wasn't her dream, it did give her purpose again. So when her old high show choir director called her up a month ago to let her know that he was retiring and asked if his star student wanted the job, she found herself accepting. There was nothing left for her in New York anymore. She figured that even if she couldn't be in Rachel's life, she could at least be physically close to her. She just didn't realize that it would literally happen so soon.

Running her hand through her hair, she inhaled deeply again at the thought of everything she had to sort out tonight. It was two days until Christmas and she still had to put up her tree, wrap the remainder of her presents, and bake the cookies she had to bring for the Vocal Adrenaline booth at the Winter Carnival tomorrow. At least she'd be preoccupied so she couldn't fixate on Rachel anymore.

Gathering all of her things, she pulled down her wool hat to brace herself for the bitter Midwestern cold, even if it was a short walk to the front door. Irrationally pressing the car key button multiple times to lock her brand new Range Rover, she kept her eyes trained on the icy walkway. She really needed to salt it tomorrow, and also needed to remember to keep her porch light on so she didn't have to struggle to open the door anymore. There was so much she needed to learn about owning a home.

"Hey there, Shelby!"

Dropping all of her things, she screamed in shock at the unexpected greeting. Her heart racing, she automatically raised her fists up and got into position to fight. She learned how to box her first year in the city.

"Woah, Shelby! I'm sorry, it's me, Hiram," he said with his hands up as he stepped into view. "Hiram Berry."

"Holy crap!" Shelby gasped, dropping her fists and placing her hand on chest as if to physically trap her heart from bursting out. "You came from out of nowhere."

"Oh, sorry!" He apologized, giving her a nervous smile. "Your lights were off but I was standing over there, I thought you saw me on your walk up. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, I-I didn't, I, what are you, I'm—" she stammered. Shock and adrenaline still coursing through her body, she paused and tried to catch her breath.

Hiram bit back a smirk at the woman's reaction. In the year that he spent with her, he had not once ever saw Shelby Corcoran as anything but the picture of perfect control, even during childbirth.

"I'm sorry," she tried again while she picked up her keys and purse back up and faced the father of child. "I'm okay. Would you like to come in?"

"I'd love to," the man answered quickly. "If that's okay with you."

Shelby nodded and mustered all the strength she could gather deep inside of her. She didn't even want to think about _why_ Hiram was there right now, she just wanted to get inside of her house and out of the cold. Unlocking the door with a shaky hand, she beckoned Hiram in before crossing the threshold into her home.

"Sorry, it's kind of a mess," Shelby warned as she flipped the lights on. "I'm still unpacking and sort of still pathetically attempting to decorate for the holidays."

"That's alright," Hiram assured, taking off his hat and scanning the room, which seemed more like a controlled and organized mess than anything. "Moving is a terror, but you have a lovely home."

"Thank you," Shelby responded, shedding all of her winter gear then ran her palms down the front her jeans apprehensively. She turned back around and finally allowed herself to examine Hiram for the first time. She doesn't know whether or not take comfort in the fact that he looks just as anxious as she felt. "Do you want to take a seat?"

"Oh sure," Hiram said following her gaze to the couch a few feet away. "Thanks."

"Sure," Shelby said, following him through the room and taking the seat in the armchair directly across from him, awkwardness settling in heavily between them.

"I came because I wanted to—"

"So I take it that Rachel told you—"

They blurted out at the same time, stared at each other, then broke out into laughter in response, effectively lifting some of the tension in the room.

"Sorry, you go first," Shelby chuckled, feeling a little more at ease.

"This is weird, huh?" Hiram shared his observation. "God, I mean, I haven't seen you in so long. You look great, by the way. Beautiful as ever."

"Eight years," Shelby specified. "And thank you. You do as well."

"Right," Hiram nodded. "It's been—hang on, did you just say something about Rachel?"

"Yeah," Shelby answered, confusion spreading across her face. "Isn't that why you're here? To talk about us running into each other the other day because listen Hiram, it was a complete accident, and I didn't tell her who I was-I didn't—"

"Wait, what?" The man questioned, shaking his head in astonishment. " _You're_ the Vocal Adrenaline Coach that Rach met the other day?"

"Yes. Isn't that why you're here?"

"No, Rach keeps talking about it but she never mentioned your name. We just assumed it was some random lady but _wow_ —so you saw her the other day? How was that?"

"Incredible," Shelby answered, seriously and honestly. "She's incredible."

"She is," Hiram grinned in agreement. "Did you notice that she looks just like you?"

Shelby offered a small smile in response and shifted nervously in her seat. She wasn't ready for that comparison yet.

"So why did you—how did you know where to find me?" The thought just occurred to her. "I just moved here."

"Oh, I'm the Manager at City Hall. I had to pull a few strings," Hiram explained, blushing at the admission. "We've actually been looking for you for a few days now, I just got your address today."

"Why?" Shelby asked, a little more than afraid of the answer. "What's going on? Is Rachel okay?"

"Here, I think you should read this," Hiram pulled out the letter from his jacket pocket and stood up to hand it to the woman.

Accepting the envelope, Shelby eyed it curiously.

"What is this? It's addressed to Santa?"

"Just please, I think you should really read it, Shelby."

Following orders, she slid hesitant fingers carefully under the tucked flap then pulled out the letter carefully and began reading its contents.

"She-she wants a mom?" Green watery eyes looking up once they got to the end.

"So much so that she wrote Santa a letter asking him for a mommy," Hiram answered, his voice thick with emotion. "Shelby. We're sorry. Me and LeRoy have been discussing this for days now and reflecting over the past. We know how much you grew to love our baby, and we shouldn't have pushed you away. Or we should've kept it open for you to be a part of Rachel's life somehow. Clearly, we were wrong to think that she didn't need a mother. So that's why I'm here, in sincerely good faith, to offer you the chance now."

"The chance? The chance to what?" The woman needed clarification, all of her emotions, eight years in the making, were automatically going into overdrive.

"To be Rachel's mom, if that is still what you want," Hiram responded, quite literally sitting at the edge of his seat now.

"What?" Shelby whispered. She tried to swallow and her throat suddenly felt so dry. She was also attempting to organize her thoughts; however, she just couldn't believe what she was hearing. This is a scenario that she's not even once allowed herself to think about or dream about. She didn't think it would ever be possible. Not in the slightest.

"Have you talked to Rachel about this? It's just a letter," her voice caught in her throat, instant tears spilling from her eyes. "How do you know? How do you know that she really needs me?"

"We did, we talked to her the other day, not about the letter, but she brought the subject up herself because of something that happened at school and we answered some of the questions she asked," Hiram affirmed, picking up on the woman's growing panic. He needed to regain control of the conversation. His husband was counting on him. Rachel was counting on him. "She's said that she's felt this way for a while now, but didn't know how to talk to us about it. She _needs_ you, Shelby. Me and LeRoy see that now. We can work it out. We can go slowly. Adjust if we need to, but I promise that there _is_ a place for you in Rachel's life."

"No, I-I don't know," Shelby heard herself say, emotions and insecurity raw in her voice. They weren't the words she wanted to say. They weren't the feelings in heart. She wants Rachel. She always has, but she would be lying if she didn't admit that she was absolutely terrified as well. She couldn't pretend that she didn't have doubts, fears, or insecurities or that she felt like she was currently drowning in them at the moment above everything else. "I don't think I can. I don't know if I should. I don't—no, I can't."

"Shelby, I think you should breathe for a second and we can take this one step at a time," he suggested for more his sake than hers. He wasn't prepared for this reaction. They needed to regroup.

Shelby stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm so sorry. I think you should go, Hiram."

"Shelby—"

"No!" Shelby cut him off, raising her voice. She was losing control hard and fast. "I'm sorry, Hiram. _Please_ just go."

Hearing the severity in the request, Hiram rose to his feet and simply nodded his agreement.

"Shelby, I'm sorry," he added swiftly. "I didn't mean to come here and overwhelm you. Maybe we handled this in the wrong way. We thought you wanted Rachel. We just assumed—I'm sorry."

Refusing to make eye contact, she crossed the room in haste then opened the front door.

"241 Birch Hill Road, that's our address," Hiram divulged, pausing right in front of Shelby. "If you change your mind, we live at 241 Birch Hill Road, it's a couple blocks away from McKinley."

Shelby nodded her head noncommittally and handed the letter back to the man.

"You know, me and LeRoy found out that this all started because a kid at Rachel's school has been bullying her for having two dads and having no mom," Hiram took the letter back in his hand and drew in a deep breath. There was one last thing he wanted, needed to share.

"He's been saying some pretty cruel things to her, but then she found out that this kid is going through some really tough stuff right now because apparently his father walked out on him and his family. I don't think she really understands it, but I think the boy is angry and confused about his father that he's taking it out on the girl with the two dads. Anyway, you know what we did yesterday? Yesterday, Rachel convinced us to sort through all of her toys and clothes and then even made us wrap them all up so that we could give them to the kid's little sister cause she found out that the mom is struggling to make ends meet. Then, she made us deliver the presents anonymously and secretly, of course, in what I thought was purely Rach fashion because of her affinity for drama; but it turns out that she just didn't want him to know who they were from because she was worried he wouldn't accept them, even though she knew they needed them. She even spent her life savings' to buy the kid, the one who's been calling a _freak_ for not having a mom, a toy he could play with too. She even insisted on making us deliver it in the middle of the night. _That's_ who Rachel is. _That's_ who you'd be agreeing to be a mom to. _That's_ our daughter. And I hope you think about that before you make a decision one way or the other… it was nice seeing you again, Shelby. I hope you have a Merry Christmas."

* * *

The following evening, Shelby meandered her way through Lima's annual Winter Carnival. She was charged with spending her Christmas Eve at the town event due to Vocal Adrenaline duties. Her kids just finished crooning Christmas carols to the attendees and her final obligation was to man the informational booth her boss had made them get. She just needed to get through one more hour before she could go back home and crawl into bed.

She wasn't exactly in the right headspace to bask in any Christmas spirit at the moment. Still reeling from Hiram's visit less than 24 hours ago, she's done what she does best when it comes to difficult situations she doesn't want to deal with: buried it deep and pretended like it never happened. She would deal with it eventually, but not now.

"Hey Coach, it's been kind of slow, so totally fine with me if you want to walk around and check out the other booths," her assistant coach Dustin suggested when she approached.

"But what do you mean?" Shelby asked wryly. "Are you telling me that nobody wants to hear about how to join the Carmel High School Vocal Adrenaline Booster Club on Christmas Eve? Shocking!"

"I know, it truly blows my mind too," Dustin laughed.

"I did try to tell Principal Mattis that this booth would likely be a waste of time," Shelby said while straightening up some of the pamphlets and free pens to give away on the table.

"Well, that's why I'm saying that you should go check out the rest of the fair," Dustin urged. "So then at least he's not wasting both of our time. I hear there's a snowman-making contest and there's even ice skating."

Shelby briefly scanned the town square and took in the sights and the sounds and the dozens of people milling about. It did seem festive. The last time she came to this carnival was when she was in high school probably. It would be interesting to see how it's changed since she's been away.

"Alright, if you're sure that you'll be okay here?"

"Yes boss, I think I can handle crowd control."

"Okay, thanks Dustin," she said appreciatively. "I'm just going to do a lap, but I'll be right back."

Shelby spent the next twenty minutes strolling through the outdoor holiday celebration. She found that it was a welcome distraction from everything. After checking out the entries for the snowman-making contest, deeming them all uninspired and entirely convinced that she could do better, she decided to go by the skating rink. She always enjoyed watching skaters glide either gracefully or awkwardly around the ice.

She plopped down on the bench rink-side and brought up the the hot chocolate she just acquired up to her lips.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" A woman standing to her left inquired, eyeing the spot next to her.

"No, not at all," Shelby insisted, scooting over to make more room then rested the warm beverage back down on her lap.

"Thanks," the older woman replied gratefully. "That looks good. Hot chocolate?"

"Mhmm, I am on my holiday diet, so I thought I'd indulge," Shelby joked, trying to be polite. She forgot that she was back to small town life now, where it's perfectly normal for strangers to strike up a conversation.

"I hear ya," she chuckled. "It's even worse when you have kids. You end up eating all of their treats too all season. I'm Denise."

"Hi, I'm Shelby," she smiled in response. "Are you here with your kids?"

"Yeah," Denise pointed to two little blurs at the other end of the rink. "I'm here with my son and my daughter. Do you have kids?"

"I'm here for work," Shelby dodged the question, straightening up her back and continuing to stare straight ahead of her.

"Oh okay. I was supposed to work tonight too, but I called off. Decided it was a much better idea to take the kids here, let them have some fun."

"That sounds nice," Shelby responded. "I—"

"Hey mom, check us out!" A young boy with a mohawk and a wide grin called over to Denise. He was holding his little sister's hand and waving the free one excitedly. "Becca's getting so good. She might try by herself soon!"

"I see you, little man, and I'm so proud of you, Bec. Have fun you two but be careful!" Denise yelled back at her children, already off on their second lap.

"They seem really happy," Shelby observed aloud then turned to face Denise. "You're a good mom."

"Thank you," Denise said, taken aback by the conviction in the praise. She studied the beautiful young woman, noticing the worry in her features, and something about the vulnerability in her eyes made her want to open up. "But can I be completely honest with you?"

"Sure," Shelby gave her a small nod.

"I _don't_ feel like a good mom," Denise confessed, ignoring Shelby's half-confused glance and kept her eyes glued on her children making their way through the circuit. "At all. In fact, it's been a really difficult year for all three of us and it seriously feels like I'm barely coming out of it alive. It's been an honest-to-God struggle. I think I've cried more than my babies have, so I don't really know if that necessarily makes me a good mom. But I'm trying I guess. Even though I'm constantly scared and worried and just unsure about absolutely everything when it comes to my kids, I'm still trying. And that has to count for something, right? I don't know, but you know what else? I wouldn't trade any of it. Not for anything in the entire universe. I'll choose the climb every time if it meant having those kids in my life. You know what I mean?"

"I-I think now I do," Shelby said in renewed understanding, slowly beginning to grasp what motherhood, despite her fears and insecurities, was truly about.

* * *

On Christmas morning, Rachel stuck her head out of her room and looked first to the left then to the right trying to listen for any movement inside the old house.

Hearing nothing, she immediately dashed across the hall then barreled into her daddies' room, diving straight into their bed in one swift motion.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" She shouted with glee. "Dad, daddy wake up! It's Christmas morning!"

"Already?" LeRoy moaned playfully. "But it's still dark out."

"No it's not, silly," Rachel giggled joyfully as she yanked the pillow her daddy held over his head. "The Sun's awake, so you have to be awake! It's Christmas!"

"You too, dad! Wake up!" She turned her attention to the other man, determined to spread her Christmas cheer. She maneuvered to sit on his stomach and reached over to grab his glasses from the bedside table and slipped it on his face.

"Did someone say that it's Halloween?" Hiram questioned, breaking out into a jaw-cracking yawn as he opened his eyes to the sight of his adorable little girl.

"Noooo dad," Rachel snickered and cupped his face with her hands, looking at him very seriously. "It's _Christmas!_ That means Santa came last night. We have to go see what he brought! I hope he got my letter!"

"Well alright then, my Christmas bug," Hiram acquiesced, moving his little girl off him in one smooth move as he got out of the bed. "If you _insist,_ I guess we have to go and see what he brought you."

"Yes please! I insist!" Rachel jumped excitedly "Come on daddy, you have to come too!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," LeRoy chuckled as he rolled out of bed then picked his daughter up mid-jump and placed her on the floor. "Lead the way, princess."

Definitely not needing to be told twice, Rachel bolted out of the room and down the stairs to find a large pile of presents underneath the tree, an empty glass of milk, and a half-eaten plate of cookies.

Ignoring the mountain of gifts, Rachel inspected the rest of the living room, hoping to find the one thing she had asked for.

"What are you looking for, bug?" Hiram feigned curiosity.

"Oh, nothing," the little girl slumped her shoulders. "I think Santa couldn't get me one of my presents."

"Are you sure about that?" LeRoy questioned, unable to stop the smile on his face from forming. "Maybe it was too big to fit underneath the tree? Maybe he left it for you in the kitchen?"

"Wanna go take a look, Rach?" Hiram added encouragingly while taking his husband's hand in his own.

Not even waiting to verbalize response, she darted past the two men and ran into the kitchen. Little feet skid to an immediate stop once she saw her.

"Coach Corcoran? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Hi Rachel," Shelby felt her heart soar at the sight of her baby girl. "Santa told me that you were looking for me."

Rachel looked back at her daddies who both had tears in their eyes and simultaneously nodded their heads in confirmation.

"You—you're my Mommy?"

"Yes, Rachel. I'm your mommy," Shelby readily and wholeheartedly accepted the label, crouching down to open her arms out to her daughter.

Without a single hesitation, Rachel flew into her mommy's warm embrace and held on tight. This is better than she could have ever imagined.

"Santa got my letter. He brought you to me!"

"And he brought you to me," Shelby placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead then pulled away slightly to give her a loving smile. "Merry Christmas, baby."

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for this story, but would love to hear what you guys think! Happy Holidays!**


	2. Mother's Day

**A/N: Set a few months after the events of DS. Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mamas out there!**

* * *

"Want some?" Kurt Hummel offered a perfectly cut-up apple to his best friend, who seemed to be on a whole 'nother planet right now. He waved the ziplock in front of Rachel Berry's face in an enticing manner. "My mommy gave me extra to share with you."

Kurt frowned after a few seconds of not receiving a response and set the bag back down on the table in resignation. He glanced over the left side of his shoulder, and then the right, trying to follow Rachel's line of sight. Coming up short, he turned his attention back to his friend who hasn't paid any attention to him whatsoever throughout the lunch period. Losing patience, he kicked her slightly underneath the table. "Rachie!"

"Ouch! Kurt!" Rachel blinked into focus then scowled at the boy. "What'd you do that for?"

"You weren't paying attention to me!" Kurt couldn't help the pout that formed on his face. Rachel's been somewhat distant all week and he was starting to worry a little that it was because of something he did. "Are you mad at me or something?"

"What?" Rachel asked in total confusion. "No, I'm not. Why would I be? Are you mad at me?"

"I dunno," Kurt shrugged, chewing and swallowing back the apple he just popped in his mouth. "You've been sorta weird all week. Are you okay?"

Rachel sighed a bit in frustration as she dropped her head down the table, resting her chin on her folded arms. "I'm okay," she said lamely, not even trying a little bit convincing.

"What is it, Rachie?" Kurt asked, concern in his eyes and in his voice. "Is it Noah? Is he picking on you again?"

Rachel shook her head but the crestfallen look all over her face didn't diminish. "No, it's not him. He's still being nice to me, and even though he still won't call me his friend, I know I'm his."

"Then what's the matter?" Kurt prodded, wondering if Rachel knew that he couldn't read her mind.

Rachel blew out her cheeks then puffed out a loaded breath through her lips in a purely dramatic fashion. "I've just been thinking," she pouted softly. "About Mother's Day."

"Oh yeah, that's on Sunday," Kurt replied, lighting up at the topic. His mom was his favorite, and he loved celebrating her. "We're making cards in art class tomorrow. You can make your mom one too this year."

Rachel sighed. "I know."

"What's wrong? Do you not want to make your mom a card? You love Miss Shelby."

"No that's not it," Rachel replied truthfully. In fact, she's been looking forward to finally being able to take part in the tradition. In the past, she dreaded Mother's Day. She didn't have one to celebrate. She and her daddies always awkwardly avoided bringing it up or talking about it. They pretty much just ignored it. Last year, in order to avoid the pitying looks or prodding questions, she decided to just make a card and gave it to her Grandma Anne in Columbus instead. It was easier that way.

But this year, she finally had a mom. Santa brought her one for Christmas, which she later learned actually meant that her dad and daddy found her for her. Shelby was their surrogate, they explained. She held her in her tummy and kept her safe and protected her until she was ready to be born. Then, Shelby gave her to her daddies to stay with until she was older and they were ready to be all be together again.

And in Rachel's opinion, Shelby Corcoran was worth the wait. She was even better than Rachel could have ever asked for. Her mommy was nice and pretty and warm. She made her laugh hard and smile big, and always gave her the best random hugs and kisses. But her favorite part about her was that she could sing. They sang and danced together all the time. They both loved music. They both _loved_ Broadway. Rachel felt like the luckiest girl in the world because she got a mom who loved the same things that she did and loved _her_ just as much. She couldn't be happier. Now her family was complete.

But she also felt nervous sometimes. Sometimes around her mom, she didn't know how to act or what to do. She had spent eight years without a maternal figure in her life. And sometimes it confused her. Like now with Mother's Day coming up. Was she supposed to get her mom a gift? Did she want a card? What would she like?

And she really just wanted to do something extra special because it was their first one together. She didn't want to mess it up.

"Rachie, you're doing it again," Kurt leaned over and tapped her shoulder cautiously.

"Oh sorry," Rachel apologized, breaking out of her reverie. She had been racking her brain all week trying to figure out what to do for her mom but anything she thought of felt like it wasn't good enough. She lifted her head and sat up straighter. "Kurt? What do you do for your mommy on Mother's Day?"

"Hmm," Kurt pondered for a moment as he slid the ziplock bag over the girl. "Well I give her the card we make. And then my dad and I always go shopping together to get her a gift. Last year, we got her these pretty shoes that I picked out. She wears them when they go on date nights. Then we always eat all my mommy's favorite foods for dinner."

"Oh okay," Rachel nodded her head. She opened the baggie then pulled out an apple, taking an experimental nibble since her two bottom teeth feel loose. Those all sounded like good ideas to her, but she didn't have that much money to buy her mom anything super nice. She could check her piggy bank, but her daddy always told her that was for her to save and to only use it for emergencies. Maybe if her teeth fell out between now and Sunday, she could put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. Last time, she got a whole twenty bucks for one.

"Why don't you ask your dad Hiram and daddy LeRoy for help?" Kurt asked in an obvious tone, not really understanding what Rachel was so hung up about.

Rachel's shoulders drooped subconsciously and a slight frown pulled at her lips. She's thought about that too, but she didn't really know how to. The weird way they acted around Mother's Day in the past was a deterrent for her. And she also didn't want to hurt their feelings by making a big deal out of it. She knew that her mom and her daddies got along. They all spend time together. Even recently over spring break, they all went to South Carolina to spend a few days at the beach. It was the most fun she's had ever. But sometimes she couldn't help feel guilty about wanting to be with her mom or asking to spend time with her while she was with her dads. They always let her, but she sometimes she noticed that it made them sad.

"I might," Rachel finally shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. "I just want to make sure that I do something really, really nice for her. I want to show her how much I love her."

Kurt nodded seriously in understanding. He got that. "I'll help! What are some things your mommy likes? Maybe you could get them for her? We can also ask Ms. Pillsbury if we can stay inside and make something during recess tomorrow. Don't worry, we'll think of something for your mom, Rachie," he offered, determined to help problem-solve with the girl.

Rachel brightened up significantly at the suggestion and flashed Kurt one of her best megawatt smiles. Ever since she went to work with her mom at Carmel for the very first time last week, she's been using all and every opportunity she could to perfect her show face. Her mom was teaching it to her show choir team, and Rachel wanted to be as good as the students on Vocal Adrenaline. She needed to practice too for when she was a big star on Broadway.

"Thanks, Kurtie! I'll tell you what I've been thinking about," she said excitedly. Maybe with Kurt's help, she could put something worthy together for her mommy. She could always count on her best friend.

* * *

After prepping her second and final load of laundry in the dryer, Shelby wiped her forehead with her sleeve and exhaled slowly. She was exhausted. It was almost nine o'clock in the evening and she had just finished an entire day filled with errands and chores, cleaning and organizing. Before, she only had to fix and sort things out for herself. Life was more manageable then. Now that she had an eight-year-old, she had to do everything for two and then some. And although it was initially a rough adjustment, she wouldn't change any of it or trade a second of it for anything in the world.

Having her daughter back in her life was more than she'd ever dreamed of. She felt ridiculous now every time she thought about how she doubted wanting to be Rachel's mom when the girl's fathers first offered over the Holidays. Taking advantage of her second chance with her baby was, without question, the best thing she's ever done. Rachel brought a constant stream of joy and happiness into her life, even if her little girl was always skirting the edge of trouble. She just had so much energy and curiosity.

Shelby actually thought she'd have trouble accomplishing everything on her to-do list since Rachel was in her care this weekend. The last time she spent the day doing chores, the little diva threw a temper tantrum about Shelby being too busy and not paying attention to her. While she'd love nothing more than to spend any and every free time she had hanging out with her daughter, she struggled to explain how life couldn't always be about fun. It was really the first time she had to put her foot down with the girl and discipline her. She didn't know if it was more uncomfortable for her or for Rachel, but it had to be done. They had been in an amazing honeymoon period and she had cherished taking the time to get to know her daughter, but she also knew that it wasn't going to last forever. She wanted to be Rachel's mom, not just a friendly woman who indulged her every whim. She had to set boundaries. She needed to step up. She did, and she's never felt more like a parent. Since then, she's slowly started to redefine her relationship with her kid. They were still learning and adjusting, but she finally felt like they were on the right track to finding their way as mother and daughter, to finding their way as a family.

After setting a timer on her cell phone, she decided to check on the girl and get her ready for bedtime. Rachel had been uncharacteristically quiet and reserved the entire day. Apart from meal times and the break Shelby took earlier this afternoon to watch _Moana_ for the sixth time with her kid, Rachel had mostly kept herself preoccupied. Shelby had taken advantage of the model behavior, and left the angel to her own devices. She and Rachel had finally finished re-painting and setting up her bedroom the last weekend she had her over, and she figured that the girl was simply enjoying her own space now. Over the past few months, whenever Rachel had stayed with her, they'd been sleeping together in her bed and Shelby would be lying if she said she wasn't going to miss that. But she also knew that it would be better in the long-run for her to start getting Rachel acclimated to her own bedroom. It was a good thing. It meant progress on both their ends.

She made her way up to the second floor and knocked on the halfway closed door before easing herself in. "Hey bug, you ready to go to bed?"

Rachel was sitting at her desk intensely preoccupied with her current task. She was chewing on her bottom lip lightly and swinging her legs distractedly. Totally fixated, she didn't even realize when her mom walked in.

"Watcha doin, kiddo?" Shelby tried again. Before she had a chance to peek over her shoulder, Rachel hastily shuffled some papers together and whipped around, surprising Shelby with the abrupt and sudden movements.

"Hi mom!" Rachel said breathlessly, standing up and pulling her mother over to her bed. "Yes, I'm ready. Look, I even changed into my pajamas already."

Shelby quirked her eyebrows together curiously at the shifty behavior, but decided to let it go. Rachel was perfect the whole day, and she wanted to give the kid the benefit of the doubt as a reward. "I see that, bug. Thanks for not waiting for me to ask you to."

Bedtime was always trying for the both of them. Mainly in part because Shelby possessed the inability to say no every time the girl was in her vicinity. The first time Rachel stayed overnight with her, her sly kid had somehow convinced her to sing through the entire _Wicked_ Original Broadway Recording, not once, but _three times_ before she finally mustered up the courage to call it a night. She had learned that lesson the hard way dealing with an overly-exhausted and grumpy Rachel the next morning.

"I didn't brush my teeth yet though," Rachel said. "I tried to but I couldn't reach the toothpaste up in the cabinet, and you always tell me not to get up on the counter."

"Oh I'm sorry about that Rach," Shelby apologized, making a mental note to do a better job of making things more accessible for the small child. "Let me see your mouth, baby. Does it hurt at all?"

Rachel perched herself on the bed then turned around to open her mouth wide to the mother, displaying two missing bottom teeth. "Nope," the little girl shook her head, popping the P.

"Okay good," Shelby patted her knee. "Just let me know if it does. I know you said last week that they felt loose, but Kurt accidentally hit you while you were on the monkey bars?"

Rachel's eyes flared at the question. "Mhmm, it was an accident!"

"I know, Rach. I never said it wasn't," Shelby said skeptically, taken aback by the forceful exclamation. She looked over the little girl curiously who avoided her gaze almost instantly. "What's going on bug? You've been a little off today. Is everything okay?"

"I'm okay," the girl replied, a little too quickly for the mother's liking. "I'm just so tired," she added, yawning on cue.

"Alright, are you sure?" Shelby double-checked.

"I'm okay, I promise," Rachel nodded then beamed her a perfectly constructed show face. "Are _you_ okay, mommy?"

Shelby chuckled at the retort. "I'm great, Rach. I just want to make sure that you are. You've just been so quiet today and I miss your beautiful voice... and your contagious laugh," she said with a coy grin then snaked her arm to tickle the girl's side.

Rachel squealed and tried to move away in response. Too slow for her mother's unforgiving hands, she let out excited giggles and wholehearted peals of laughter that automatically melted away Shelby's qualms.

"M-om! Mommy, stop. Stop!"

"I don't know if I can, bug. The tickle monster can only stop if she gets a _big_ kiss and an even _bigger_ hug from her Rachie."

Giggling even harder, Rachel jumped up on the bed then launched herself into Shelby's arms and peppered sloppy kisses all over her face over and over again, despite her mom's half-hearted attempts to move away.

"Okay kiddo, you win," Shelby yielded, scooping up the girl completely. Rachel squealed again in delight and wrapped her arms and legs around her mother to secure herself.

"Where are we going!?"

"To go brush your teeth," Shelby replied, walking them over to Rachel's bathroom down the hall. "And I figured I'd carry my baby since she's _sooo_ tired," she teased.

Shelby winked playfully as she set Rachel on the bathroom counter then proceeded to brush her teeth for her. The little girl grinned wide, showing the few and remaining baby teeth she had left as they were brushed. After she was done, she rinsed her mouth out with water and waited for her mom to finish brushing her own teeth.

"There ya go, princess," Shelby said, tapping Rachel's nose in satisfaction once she was done. "Now, we're ready for bed."

Rachel held her arms out to be carried and Shelby willingly obliged. Her little girl was growing so much every day, and though she loved watching Rachel grow more into her confidence, talents, and intelligence, she also wished that she could somehow freeze time or buy more of it with her daughter. She had already missed so much in the past eight years, and soon Rachel would be nearing an age where she was going to want to be more independent and didn't need to be cared for like this.

"Thanks mommy," Rachel said, planting a soft kiss on Shelby's cheek as they walked back into her room.

"You're very welcome, sweetheart," the mother replied, settling her down on her bed and tucking her in. "I'll be up a little longer, so just let me know if you need anything and you can always—"

"Wait, mom!" Rachel gasped, far too dramatically, and shot back up. "I forgot Raffie downstairs! I brought him to watch a movie with us earlier. I need to—I can't sleep without him!"

Shelby nodded in understanding about the girl's concern over her beloved stuffed giraffe that she's had since she was a baby. Shelby didn't know whether or not Rachel realized that she was the one that actually got it for her before she was born, but she loved the thought that something from her was able to give her daughter comfort even though they were apart.

"I know, baby, I know," Shelby said seriously, pushing the girl gently back down the bed. "You rest. I'll go get him and bring him up for you."

Rachel hesitated briefly but decided to trust her mother, scooting back under her covers. "Okay, mommy," she said sleepily, another yawn falling from her lips. "Thank you. I love you."

"And I love you."

"To the moon?"

"And back," Shelby promised.

More time would be nice. But for now, she'd take these moments with her daughter.

* * *

The next day, Shelby flipped away from the bright morning sunlight basking on her face when she felt the right side of the bed dip slightly. "Morning, baby… what time is it?" She murmured, lifting the covers.

Rachel happily crawled in and snuggled up closer to her mom, smiling when the woman wrapped an arm around her. "It's only seven, but I couldn't sleep anymore because I have a surprise for you!"

"A surprise? Is that so?" Shelby yawned, not fully awake yet. She pulled Rachel in even closer, savoring the cuddles and drinking in the child's warmth. "What is it, bug?"

"Well you have to wake up first," Rachel giggled as she drew her fingers up to peel her mom's already closed again eyes open. "So you can see!"

"Okay, okay," Shelby relented then opened up her emerald green eyes as wide as she could get them and tried not to blink. "I'm up, I'm awake. See."

Rachel laughed even harder and shook her head. Her mommy was so silly. She scooted away for a second and grabbed an envelope she left on the bedside table. She turned back to face Shelby who was now sitting halfway up on her elbow, wearing a curious expression.

"Happy Mother's Day, mom!" Rachel greeted, positively beaming when she handed her mother the card. "I made this for you!"

"What?" Shelby asked in sincere shock and confusion. She had been so preoccupied recently that she had completely forgotten about the holiday. Truthfully, it's been years since a Mother's Day has been on her radar. Her own mom passed away while she was in college and her little sister didn't have any children of her own. And since she gave Rachel away, she never had a reason to celebrate.

"Aw Rach," she said, swallowing back the lump forming in her throat and blinking back the tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you so much, baby."

"Open it, mom," Rachel urged, unable to contain her excitement.

As Shelby pulled out the card, blue and silver glitter fell onto the bed. She turned it over to see _Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!_ written neatly on the front in gold marker with gold star stickers lining the border.

"Because gold stars are our thing," Rachel explained, pointing her finger to one of the stickers.

Her heart feeling like it could burst, Shelby opened the inside of the card to find a picture of two girl stick figures, one big one and one small one, standing on top of a rocket with _I love you to the moon and back_ written in silver marker underneath it.

"Mommy? Do you like it?" Rachel asked nervously after the silence that followed while her mom continued to examine the card, turning it over and over in her hands. "I'm sorry if you don't I—"

"It's perfect, baby," Shelby blurted out then pulled her daughter in for a crushing hug. "I love it. I love it so much. I love _you_ so much. Thank you, sweetheart. It's amazing."

Rachel groaned when Shelby squeezed tighter. "Mom I c-can't breathe."

"Oh I'm sorry Rach," the mother apologized, wiping her eyes quickly after releasing her grip.

"It's okay," Rachel said then grabbed the woman's arm, pulling her out bed. "Come on mom, I have more surprises for you downstairs! And breakfast!

"You do?" Shelby asked questioningly as she rose to her feet. "Baby how did you—"

"I didn't touch the stove, promise," Rachel said, reading the woman's mind. "Dad and daddy did! They're here too!"

Before she could reply, Rachel yanked her arm and led them down the stairs and into the kitchen in lightning speed. They walked in to the sight of Hiram cooking pancakes over the stove and LeRoy setting up the table. There was an artfully arranged bouquet of sunflowers, white daisies, and purple asters, all of her favorite flowers on the counter next to a small pile of different shaped gifts.

"There she is!" LeRoy greeted the woman first, crossing the room to give her an affectionate hug. "Good morning to our favorite mom."

Immensely shocked by the entire scene, Shelby only brought her arms up to accept the embrace and shot Hiram a look of pure confusion in response.

"We let ourselves in and kinda took over your kitchen. Hope you don't mind," Hiram explained with a fond smile. "Happy Mother's Day!"

"I—I don't even know what to say," Shelby laughed breathlessly. "Thank you I—"

"It was all Rach's idea," LeRoy said, giving credit where credit was due and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Isn't that right, princess?"

"Yes!" Rachel said proudly. "But dad and daddy helped me cook and pick out presents. Are you surprised mom?"

"I am so surprised, baby," Shelby said truthfully, her entire body filling up with gratitude and happiness. "Thank you guys so much. I mean it. This is such a lovely surprise. I just, I can't… this is..."

"It's nothing, Shel. It's your day. It's the _least_ we could do. Rach, how about you help your daddy finish setting up the table?" Hiram suggested, picking up on Shelby's need to collect herself for a second.

"Okay! And then can we do presents? I want to give mommy my gift?" Rachel asked, bouncing excitedly on her feet.

"Yes," Hiram chuckled. "Then we'll do presents and then we'll eat. Go on and help daddy. His forks look a little crooked," he winked to a sound of disapproval from his husband.

Shelby smiled gratefully as she perched herself on the bar stool. She was so overwhelmed. In the best possible way. "Rachel's idea?"

Hiram glanced at his daughter and husband preoccupied at the table and lowered his voice. "Tried to scam the tooth fairy for money to get you Mother's Day gifts. She and Kurt found a way to pull out her teeth. Purposefully."

"No she did not," Shelby's mouth fell open in shock.

Hiram fought back a laugh, thoroughly amused by their little girl. "She owned up to it the next morning when she asked us to take her to the mall to get you a present. She um…" he paused, smiling sadly. "She said she was a little scared to ask us for help because she didn't want to hurt our feelings or make us feel like she was replacing us with you. But we uh… had a long talk and assured her that we _do not_ feel that way and the she _never_ has to feel like she's choosing one over or the other and that we are truly happy for you both. You've been.. this is the happiest she's ever been, Shel. And that's.. it's because of you."

Shelby shook her head, the tears spilling down her cheeks flinging at different directions. "No," she said, taking Hiram's hand into her own. "It's also because of you and LeRoy and what you've given us. It's both of you too."

"We're done!" Rachel flounced up to the kitchen island, missing how the two parents quickly wiped away all evidence of their emotional conversation. "Dad can I give mommy my present now?"

"Sure, Rach," Hiram acquiesced then offered Shelby a napkin.

"You didn't have to buy me anything, bug," Shelby said after blowing her nose. "I already love your card."

"I didn't buy it," Rachel said, handing a light-weight bag to the woman. "When I asked dad and daddy what to get you, they both said it should be something that comes from the heart and maybe something that is meaningful. And this means a lot to me, but I want you to have it, mom."

Intrigued, Shelby stuck her hand in the bag and pushed through the decorative gift tissue before feeling something plush with her fingers and pulling out her daughter's cherished stuffed animal. "Raffie?" She asked, shocked again for the millionth time that morning. "You're giving me Raffie, Rach? But he.. you can't sleep without him."

"I'll be okay! Now he can stay with you. I want you to have him, mom. So it'll be like we're still together whenever I'm with dad and daddy," Rachel rambled, hoping that it was a worthy enough gift. "And he can keep you company when you miss me. I don't want you to sleep here alone. I even wrote down instructions for you on how to take care of him. That's what I was doing last night before bed."

Setting the incredible present down, Shelby enveloped her thoughtful and lovely and wonderful baby girl up in a fierce hug. "Thank you, sweetheart. This is the _best_ gift I've ever received. I will take such good care of him for you."

"I know you will," Rachel said, smiling widely. "Happy Mother's Day, mommy.


	3. Fourth of July: Red, White, and Blues

Rachel cradled her right arm against her chest, her eyes trained to the ground as Shelby guided them away from the Range Rover and toward the house. Although her arm was now protectively encased in a hot pink cast, it still scared her how painful it felt.

She didn't mean to lose her balance and fall down. Even though her mom's told her not to climb it maybe a dozen times so far this summer. But she and Kurt couldn't help it. The base of the oak tree in the backyard made for the perfect stage to practice on. It was cool and spacious under the shade. They could hang their painted backdrops off the lower limbs and place their homemade props on the large woody, roots on the surface. She was only trying to recreate Elphaba's ascent with the broom in _Defying Gravity_ by scrambling up the trunk and on to one of the branches she could reach when she lost her focus. Before she knew it, she was toppled onto the ground with her arm pinned underneath her. It took a whole ten tear-filled minutes and fighting through the panic of getting in trouble before she allowed Kurt to run into the house to get help.

Now her entire Fourth of July was ruined. They were supposed to go to a pool party and a barbecue at the Hummel's this afternoon and then they were going to go watch fireworks by the lake at dusk with Noah's family, but now her arm was broken and she was hurting all over. It wasn't fair.

She swallowed hard when they walked across the threshold. Shelby hasn't said anything to her since they left the doctor's office and she was a little more than worried now for her reaction. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted when her mom scooped her up to be carried.

"Mom!" Rachel protested and shifted in her arms as the older woman's steps hastened across the foyer. "I can walk! I'm fine. You don't have to carry me."

Shelby raised an eyebrow at her eight-year-old squirming in her grasp. "Rachel, stop it," she admonished. The directive came out a lot more sternly than she had intended but she also couldn't help it. She was sure that she's never been so worried before in the six and a half months since she's had custody back of her daughter. Maybe even in her entire life. "I want to get you upstairs to get you some medicine, and it's much faster this way."

Rachel halted at the scolding tone and settled down, deciding not to challenge her mother any further. She recalled the look of pure terror displayed all over the woman's face when she ran out into the backyard earlier and her stomach knotted again in guilt at the memory. She sighed in resignation as her mom tightened her grip when they started up the stairs.

"Are you in any pain, baby?" Shelby asked, attempting to keep her tone even and measured this time.

Rachel stared at her arm and frowned miserably. "Yes, a little… but are you… are you mad at me?" She rested her cheek on her mother's chest and buried her face against the cotton of her t-shirt, worried about the answer.

"Let's just get you some medicine and then maybe you can take a nap," Shelby diverted. She wasn't prepared to tackle this right now. She was frustrated, yes. Concerned, of course. Exhausted, definitely. But most of all, she was relieved. It could've been worse. Rachel could've hit her head, broken her leg, caused damage to her neck or back or suffered from a myriad of other, more serious injuries from falling off a tree. It was precisely why she prohibited the two daredevils from climbing it in the first place, in order to avoid this situation in particular. She'd deal with reprimanding her kid later. She just wanted her little girl pain-free and rested for now.

"But I don't wanna nap," Rachel argued with a pleading look. "I'm not tired. Can we still go see everyone at Kurt's? Or see the fireworks later? Please mommy, I'm fine. I promise."

Shelby raised another stern eyebrow at the whine but refrained from commenting on it. "Rachel," she chided lightly. "You just told me that you're in pain. You need to take some medicine to help you feel better and then we also have to call your daddies. They're worried about you, bug."

"But I'm _fine_ ," Rachel repeated, ignoring the continued throbbing in her arm. The Fourth was one of her favorite holidays. And this was her first one with her mom since her dads were both out of town. She was determined not to miss any more of it. "Can we go be with everyone first, mama? I can nap when we get back."

"No Rach," Shelby rejected the proposal as she settled the girl on top of the counter in her master bathroom. "We are staying home and you do not have a choice in this matter. You've had a long morning sweetheart and I need you to just take a minute to breathe."

Rachel opened her mouth hesitantly as Shelby offered a pill from the bottle. After she swallowed, she automatically reached out for the glass of water with her left hand and downed half of it, hating the sensation of taking medicine. She held the glass on her lap and inhaled a deep breath. "There! _Now_ can we go?"

"No, _now_ we are going to get you changed," Shelby countered, already untying and slipping off the girl's red and blue sneakers she donned for the occasion.

"Mom, I don't want to," Rachel pouted, angry tears welling in her eyes. This was _not_ how her day was supposed to go. She wanted to be outside. She wanted to be with her friends. She wanted to do her Fourth of July traditions. She wanted to have fun with her mommy. Not fight with her. "It's not _fair._ I don't wanna stay home. I want to go out!"

"Well I'm sorry Rachel, but you can't," Shelby scolded firmly, losing her battle against her patience and pitching her voice higher. "Maybe you should've thought about that before you did exactly what I've consistently asked you not to do, Rachel Barbra. How many times have I told you not to climb that tree because it's dangerous? Now look at what's happened."

"But it was an _accident,_ " Rachel whimpered, her voice cracking in the middle. "I didn't mean to fall."

"I know," Shelby sighed, pulling the _Hamilton_ gold star t-shirt up and over the girl's head. "But you did know what you were doing climbing up the tree in the first place, Rach. You need to be more careful. I told you it was unstable and not to climb it without supervision. What if you broke a lot more than your arm? I tell you not to do something for a reason, kiddo. You have to do a better job of listening to me. I'm only trying to protect you."

More tears of frustration burned at her eyes as her mom continued to dress her. She slowly dropped her head as the weight of her mother's words began to sink in. She wasn't thinking and it was her own fault that she wouldn't get to have any fun today. "I'm sorry," she whispered softly, blinking several times.

"It's okay," Shelby accepted the apology, moving closer to her child and placed her hands on her knees. "I can understand why you're frustrated sweetheart, but I don't want to fight with you anymore. I'm sorry you have to miss out on the party, but these are unfortunately the consequences of your actions. I want to make sure we're taking care of your arm and getting you plenty of rest."

"So no more fireworks either?" Rachel moped, bringing her only functioning hand up to rub away her tears roughly.

"I don't think so," Shelby replied sadly. She could understand her child's frustrations since she was feeling plenty of it herself. Rachel wasn't the only one excited for today. She was also looking forward to the holiday weekend. Since she's spent the last month preoccupied with Vocal Adrenaline prep for the Show Choir National Competition in mid-July, she hasn't had as much time as she would've liked to enjoy summertime with her daughter. This was the first few days that she's been able to set aside to spend with Rachel uninterrupted. And she was really eager to check off another milestone with her kid, even if it was just their first Fourth of July together. "I'm so sorry bug, I know you were excited about our plans."

Rachel only nodded her head pitifully while a pained sob broke past her lips. "Mommy it hurts."

"Oh my baby, come here," Shelby coaxed, lifting her child up carefully and into the comfort of her arms. "I've got you."

Rachel shifted her head to hide her face within Shelby's neck, her small shoulders hitching as she took in a shuddering breath. She screwed her eyes tightly, her soft whines muffled against the woman's silky skin. Her arm was hurting really badly now that she was thinking about it. "Make it _stooop_ mommy."

Shelby felt a mixture of guilt and dread pass through her at the realization that she couldn't really do anything to make the pain stop. They just had to wait for her bones to heal properly, follow the doctor's orders, take good care of the cast, eat well and rest, and help Rachel be as comfortable as possible. Still, the sound of her kid's cries in such a desperate manner made her heart hurt in a way that she didn't even believe was possible.

"Okay," Shelby's voice remained soft and gentle as her hand moved to rub the girl's back. "I know it hurts baby. But just take a deep breath for me. And let's try to focus on something else, can we do that bug?"

Rachel could only nod against her mom's neck and let out another soft sob, her tears dampening the area before she moved to lie her head against her shoulder.

"I know, baby, I know," Shelby sympathized. "You're doing so well Rach. Take a few deep breaths. Let's talk about something else? Maybe we can celebrate the Fourth of July next week when your daddies get back? We can have our own barbecue. Does that sound good?"

"Y-yes," Rachel whispered, pressing her forehead against her mom's shoulder. Another whine of pain passed her lips as she re-adjusted herself. "Mommy, _please_ ," she mumbled, sniffling hard and wiping her tears and snot-filled face on Shelby's shirt. "It won't go away."

Shelby did her best to steel herself against the pleading and tried to stay focused on helping her child. At this point, she was ready to tear down the tree in her backyard with her bare hands. "I know but it'll get better sweetheart, I promise you. The medicine will help you feel better soon," she reassured. "Tell me what you want to do at our own party next week, bug. We can have a picnic?"

Rachel hummed in approval, tucking her cast between herself and her mother's front. "And maybe we can have some s'mores?"

"We sure can," Shelby said, wrapping her arms even more tightly around her kid and leaning down to place a kiss on top of her head. "We can even get our own sparklers. And we'll invite Kurt, Quinn, Brittany and Santana. They can all come sign your cast, bug."

"And Noah too," Rachel murmured, a large yawn escaping. Her arm was still aching, but not as bad as it did before at least.

"And Noah too, of course," Shelby smiled to herself. The two had come a long way from last Christmas and she was immensely proud at how Rachel was able to overcome the past and give him another chance. Now he and his mom Denise were some of their closest friends. "We can even go to the fair with them in a few weeks after your arm is all better. It'll be okay, baby. You'll get through this. It won't hurt like this forever."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" Shelby shifted to face her, moving automatically to kiss her daughter's tear-stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Rachel sighed dejectedly, nestling her head into her mom's neck again. "I didn't mean to be bad. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I won't climb the tree ever again. Never, ever. _I promise._ "

"You are not bad, baby. Never bad," Shelby shook her head, holding her close as she moved to sit at the edge of her bed with Rachel on her lap. "You're right. It was an accident. And I think you've learned your lesson, huh bug? I'm sorry you're in so much pain."

Rachel stared at her arm again and just curled up closer against her mom's chest. It was so sore and she just wanted her mommy to make it all better.

Shelby peered down and relief washed over her realizing that the tears had finally stopped. She began to hum softly and rock her baby in a soothing manner. A few minutes later, she felt Rachel's body begin to relax. She got up slowly and started to tuck the girl into her bed. "How about you get some rest, sweetheart? I think that'll help you feel better."

Rachel blinked tiredly and tried to protest before another yawn fell from her lips. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course," Shelby acquiesced, climbing into bed and drawing the covers over both of them, not forgetting to hand the girl her stuffed giraffe for an added comfort. "Just close your eyes baby," she instructed softly as her hand moved to rub her back again. "Mommy's right here."

Rachel did so with a quiet and contented sigh, her body giving into the exhaustion. She listened to her mother's soft assurances, sleep not taking long to overcome her tired body. She only wished she could wake up and everything would be better and they could go on with their Fourth celebrations.

Shelby closed her own eyes a few minutes later as she felt Rachel's breathing even out. She wrapped her left arm around her child, finally permitting her own mind to rest momentarily. She was so sure that she's never felt so bad before for her own kid. If she could trade places, she would in a heartbeat. After releasing her own weary yawn, she resolved to turn this day around for her baby, one way or another.

* * *

A few hours later, Rachel woke with a groan and a dull ache from her elbow down. Instant tears came to her eyes as soon as she remembered what happened.

"Hi baby," Shelby greeted from her position on the lounge chair in the corner of her bedroom. She closed her book and crossed the carpet briskly at the sound of whimpering from the bed. "I'm glad to see you're up. How do you feel, Rach?"

"Hurts," the girl grimaced as she sat up and rubbed the slumber out of her eyes with her free hand. "Everything _hurts."_

"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart," Shelby frowned deeply. She perched herself on the side of the bed and reached over to draw the unkempt hair away from her child's face, her heart clenching at the gloom marked all over it. "How about we get you something to eat and then you can take some more medicine?"

"We still can't go watch the fireworks?" Rachel asked hopefully. She turned her head despondently to look through the open window bringing in the cool summer evening breeze. "I want to go to the beach with everyone."

"I'm sorry bug," the mother sighed. "Not this year. But how about we go downstairs? We can have our own fun."

"Okay," Rachel agreed, her shoulders dropping dramatically. She lifted her arms toward her mother. "Can you carry me? Please mama?"

Shelby grinned and nodded in approval, realizing that she was going to have an incredibly difficult time saying no to her injured little girl over the next six weeks. "I'd love to, princess."

Pulling the covers away, Shelby picked up her daughter effortlessly and immediately felt another round of relief wash over her when Rachel's cheek came to rest on her shoulder. Her baby was okay and in her arms. It could've been worse.

She kept her hold tight while she made her way downstairs to the living room, growing more and more excited as they neared her surprise.

"Rach?" She pulled her head back to make eye contact, a smile on her face. "I'm sorry we couldn't go to the lake with everyone tonight, but what do you think about watching fireworks here?"

Rachel's head lifted curiously as her mom adjusted her slightly on her hip turning her body so that she was facing the unexpected scene in the living room.

There was a large picnic blanket set up in front of the blazing fireplace, red, white, and blue decorations displayed all over, the coffee table filled with s'mores ingredients and other treats.

"You like it, bug? We can have our own Fourth of July picnic right here," Shelby suggested. "And we can—"

The pinging sound of an incoming video chat on her laptop on the ground interrupted her and she quickly settled her and Rachel down on the picnic blanket before answering it.

"Mommy, who's that?"

"Hi Rachie!" Kurt's beaming face popped up a second later on the screen. "I miss you! I wish you were here!"

"Hey Rachel, I hope you're feeling better!" Noah's voice added a moment later, a part of his mohawk showing up at the corner of the monitor.

"Rach, how's your arm, honey?" She heard Denise Puckerman speak from far away.

Rachel was sitting on her mom's lap, the girl looked up at her questioningly and Shelby only wrapped her arms around her securely in response. "This way, we can still watch the fireworks with everybody."

Breaking out into a wide grin, Rachel turned around and threw her one good arm around her mom's neck fiercely. "Thank you mommy! I love it! This is the best Fourth of July surprise, _ever_."

Shelby chuckled as she accepted the embrace, kissing her daughter's temple at the affection. She's determined to always find a way to make any and every holiday special for her kid. "And I love you, baby. Now how about we watch those fireworks of yours."

* * *

 **A/N: Turning this story into a series of connected one-shots. PM for any prompt requests and I'll try to get to them, schedule-permitting. Thanks for joining me for another one!**


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